2019 Premier12: Taiwan Falls to USA, Unable to Hold Lead

2019 WBSC Premier12: Taiwan 2 – USA 3

Team Taiwan has lost one of the most important game in the 2019 Premier12 tournament. On November 15, Taiwan fell 2-3 to Team USA in the Super Round as the Minnesota Twins’ prospect Brent Rooker belted a go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh. [Box Score]

Wu Sheng-Feng: Best Semi-Pro Pitcher From Taiwan

32-year-old amateur right-hander 吳昇峰 (Wu Sheng-Feng) got the nod to start against the USA. The semi-pro sidearmer did an outstanding job limiting Team USA to three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts across 6.2 innings.

Wu Sheng-Feng ran into a bit of turbulence in the first inning where he gave up one run on back-to-back hits. Wu, however, managed to settled and found his grove as he did not give up another hit until the bottom of the sixth.

Despite his dominating outing, Wu ended up making a mistake in the bottom of the seventh and that one mistake alone ultimately cost him the game. He first gave up a one-out single to Erik Kratz and then surrendered a go-ahead two-run home run to Brent Rooker to deep left.

Although the USA started the game with an early 0-1 lead over Taiwan, the Taiwanese lineup was able to even the score in the third inning. Catcher Jhang Jin-De drove in a run when he hit into a double play. In the top of the sixth, Hu Chin-Lung hit a solo home run to deep centre and extended Taiwan’s lead to 2-1.

After Team USA got the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, their relievers were able to shutdown the Taiwanese lineup. Noah Song and Brandon Dickson combined two innings of work and issued four strikeouts to secure the victory for the USA.

4 COMMENTS

I just read a Yonhap article about the SK Wyverns signing Venezuelan pitcher Ricardo Pinto. Pinto is expected to take Henry Sosa’s roster spot next season. So, there’s a chance Sosa could return to the CPBL in 2020, at least for the first half. Or, at least, one would have to think so. More money in Taiwan that pitching in Mexico and the Dominican Winter League, if another KBO team doesn’t sign Sosa.

According to the Fubon Guardians’ vice GM, they have been in touch with one another. They will do what they can do bring Sosa and Loree back.

Would be interesting to see if we will get a bidding wars for Sosa too. Since Sosa left before August 31, the Guardians do not have the negotiation rights to him. Any teams are free to contact and sign him during the offseason.

I also wonder what’s his chance of getting another offer in the KBO. I mean he slipped off a bit towards the end of 2019 season, but still pretty effective too.

Sosa is certainly worth another KBO contract at the right price, like $600,000 or $700,000, probably guaranteed. I have noticed that so far KBO salaries for foreign players are down, but more likely to be guaranteed money.

I could also see Sosa spending the first half in the CPBL and getting picked up by a KBO in July 2020, just like last week. Or, the CPBL hitters catch up to him, and he spends the entire 2020 season in the CPBL and then pitches the second half of the Dominican Winter League season.